Various techniques have been used in the past to obtain improved velocity performance of projectile in order to enhance the projectiles penetrating abilities. One of the means used in the prior art for accomplishing this is to combine an armor piercing projectile with a sabot-carrier. The sabot type projectiles generally are subcaliber with respect to the launch weapon and require the use of an adapter such as a sabot to support the projectile during launch. The sabot in order to satisfy its main function as a projectile carrier must serve as a gas seal within the launch tube, remain intact during travel down the bore of the gun, impart rotation to spin-stabilized projectile, and after discharge from the gun separate from the projectile without disturbing the flight of the projectile and without creating a debris hazard to launch personnel. The high acceleration generally encountered in sabot projectiles frequently gives rise to coupling stresses at the contact interface between the sabot and the projectile. In the past a flat steel pusher plate was interposed between the rear of the projectile and the front face of a plastic cup shaped sabot to absorb some of this stress and to prevent a sabot made from plastic type material from being strained to the point of failure during travel in the gun bore. Since the ratio of the weight of the propellant to the weight of the projectile is a function of the desired velocity, it is imperative to reduce the parasitic weight of the pusher plate as much as practically possible. The problem with prior art pusher plates has been that they are not only too heavy but that they frequently fail to help the sabot separate cleanly from the projectile in the short time required after the assembly leaves the gun muzzle and consequently affects the aerodynamic stability of the projectile and reduces the ultimate velocity of the projectile.